Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter

Lloyd Kahn’s book, Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter, proves there’s no perspiration without inspiration when it comes to building a unique home.

The idea of a home extends beyond the strict definition of a house, and this unique Japanese barn/root cellar is a great example of how an inconspicuous shed can become a one-of-a-kind creation and an inspiration to others.

Photo courtesy MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors

The interior of this earthbag home has a palpable handmade feeling thanks to the rounded, uneven "papercrete" wall plaster and natural wood cents.

Photo courtesy Lloyd Kahn/Stellar Publications

Right: A 1937 Chevrolet "Gypsy Wagon" owned by Jack Fulton. Top: Bill Coperthwaite's personal twist on the yurt design. Bellow: The Hallig homes of northern Germany are built above sea level on artificial mounds of earth to withstand high tide. This home looks much like a lonely ship lost at sea.

Photo courtesy MOTHER EARTH NEWS editor

John Stiles (middle) roams the California countryside with his 14-donkey caravan (left) , carrying everything he needs to survive with him. "I travel the freeways and in huge metropolitan areas with no driver's license, no registration, no insurance, no taxes, no permits - nothing." Right: This Dust Bowl-era house was built from the most basic of building materials in a hostile environment, yet notice the subtle creativity in the dormer's urved eaves.

Photo courtesy MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors

The idea of a home extends beyond the strict definition of a house, and this unique Japanese barn/root cellar is a great example of how an inconspicuous shed can become a one-of-a-kind creation and an inspiration to others.

Photo courtesy MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors

The idea of a home extends beyond the strict definition of a house, and this unique Japanese barn/root cellar is a great example of how an inconspicuous shed can become a one-of-a-kind creation and an inspiration to others.

Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

At MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we are dedicated to conserving our planet's natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That's why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $12.00 (USA only).